Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter.
Professor Trelawny was known for strange assignments. Like a month worth of dreams.
But this one required thought. She told them to draw names and write about this person, anything that could help see the aura. Not everything had to be turned in. The assignment was to go in depth about the person, and try to guess the aura, before they tried to see it.
Harry was unlucky with both names, and was told to do both.
He drew himself, and Severus Snape.
After a week, he could say he knew Severus well, and understood him better. He wrote it all down, but turned in a copy without all the extras. Something nearly as bad as Ron with Filch and Malfoy.
Severus Snape. He's bitter. He made one choice a long time ago, and never saw a way back from it he was willing to take. He wishes he could take it back, but he is unwilling to show the softer side of his personality, because it's been hurt. He was abused. Probably by his father. He wears black to mourn for the innocents lost in the war, including himself. He sees himself as tainted. Responsible for the death of others. He thinks that by being so mean, we won't make as many mistakes. He thinks that this will stop us from blowing up the cauldrons, and as a penance for the lives he took. He would never allow us to be hurt by anyone, if he could stop it. He would, for half the school, jump in front of the killing curse, because he sees himself as beyond redemption. He hates that we can be so carefree most of the time, and that we don't take this world as seriously as he does. He doesn't understand children because he wasn't one for long. He hates Voldemort, loves the Dark arts, and hates Dumbledore. He hates that he was once a fanatic of such a worthless bastard, and hates being pushed aside because he's a halfblood. He's from an old pureblood family, and he hates muggles because his father was one, and abused him. Severus Snape is a controlled being. He has nothing to tell anyone, and he likes it that way. He doesn't like to form connections because then he could be hurt. And he doesn't understand that healing comes that way also. Severus Snape is someone I fear because we share so many similarities, but I don't want to turn out that way. I think his aura would be green. Green is Loyalty and pain, it's the black mood he holds with the hope in his heart that someone would recognize it. Green is a dark forest that he's lost in. Green is the color he loves because it was what made up the woman he loved. Green and Fire. But she was fire, and he is green.
Harry left it in his bag, and Severus Snape was the one to read it. Harry didn't know what to do with himself, and shot out of the room. The paper was given back the next day with a note.
Potter, you'll never be me. You're too obvious to be me. But someday, we'll have to talk about what you wrote. So, Detention on friday. Please come after dinner.
That was the beginning of a relationship Harry didn't understand. In class, Snape thawed so slowly it was like watching dead grass grow. But he did. And after class, two or three times a week, Harry came to talk to Severus, who was rapidly healing. Injury for injury, they lined it up. And so far, Harry had held his own. They did everything that children do, and that Severus never did. And Harry felt at peace. Because he was helping someone that he never thought would accept it.